What a difference...

a day makes!!!!.

On Saturday I fished the open at Woodlands, which I luckily won.  For round 3 of the Robin Hood AC Matches, we were back at Woodlands Lakes, Thirsk and fortunately we were also on Partridge Lake.

Yesterday the wind was blowing from left to right (peg 19 - peg 1) and was just a bit stronger than a ripple.  Today the wind is blowing from pegs 1 to 18, in the opposite direction.

All the usual suspects were in attendance.  By the time of the drawer, there were about 24 or so of us in attendance....I put my hand in the lucky bag and drew peg 30.  I was not totally disappointed with the draw as it was a couple of pegs away from yesterday.  I spoke to Jimmy in the shop and he said it will be won from the middle to far end of the lake.  Oh well, never mind.  Daz Harrison drew peg 6, Dave Webster was on peg 2, Chris Moorhead peg 17 (with 16 and 18 empty AND THE WIND BLOWING INTO PEG 18), Jason Langshaw drew my peg from yesterday - peg 33.  I had Craig McKenny to my left on peg 29 and Gary Jowett to my right on peg 32.

Tackle and rigs..

I set up the same gear and rigs as yesterday

MAP Parabolix 10ft bomb rod coupled to Shimano DL 2500 Baitrunner reel set up to fish the bomb and pellet.
Shimano Beastmaster CX 9/11 feeder rod coupled to a Shimano DL2500 Baitrunner reel set up to fish the method feeder.

3 pole rigs as follows:

4x14 Carpa Chimp on .17 Preston Powerline mainline to a .14 Browning Hybrid Power Mono hooklength to fish at 10 and 2 o'clock on top 2 + 2 attached to Preston Innovations 15h elastic.
.2g Frenzee FD200 shallow pole float rig with a Preston Powerline .13 hooklength attached to white Hydro elastic
Ian Heywood Jigga float with a .13 Preston Powerline hooklength attached to Preston Innovations 13h elastic, set soft.

I also set up my pellet waggler rod today before the start of the match.

For bait, I had the same as yesterday, some venue's own 8mm and 6mm pellets, some Dynamite Baits Meaty Marine 6mm pellets, some 6mm Bait-Tech expander pellets and some corn.

The Match

I started the match in pretty much the same style as yesterday, that is to fish on the top 2 + 2 with a 6mm expander on the hook.  I tried to the left, then to the right and I was now 30 minutes into the match.  I had not had a fish or a bite.  Ooohhh Crap!!  Craig McKenny had caught 3 carp and a couple of skimmers fishing top 2 + 3 sections.  Gary had caught a couple by fishing at about 8/9m out.

I decided it was time to go out on the bomb. The bomb settled, I tightened down to it and the rod tip flew round.  Fish on.  My first fish of the day was a carp about 6lb or so caught on bomb and pellet.

I spent another 30 mins or so on the bomb and pellet and all the while I had been feeding 8mm pellets out to the middle of the lake.  Due to no more fish on the bomb line, I decided to have a go on the pellet waggler....her goes.

I cast out the pellet wag, then catapulted some bait in, then cast out again and repeated this process, lots of times.  Finally the float shot under, I struck into it and the rod arched over.  I was in.  The fish was running to the other bank, I decided to put the brakes on, then the inevitable happened, I pulled out of the fish.  I recast again, lots and lots and hooked into another one and promptly lost.

I had by now spent about 45 mins on the pellet waggler trying to get it to work for nothing.  I still only had 1 fish. 

I tried the method over the pellet waggler line for about 30 mins and added nothing more to the single solitary carp that I had caught some time ago.

At this point, I saw Stuart Wilson (about peg 12) playing a fish on white hydro and he had had it on for quite a while.  Whilst playing it, his topkit had snapped and he had to play it through a shot section of pole.  He managed to get it in his landing net..it was well into double figures.

I was now into the last hour and I was going nowhere.  I could see that it had been a hard day for most, and there appeared to be a lot of the other anglers who had between 4 - 8 fish, so a good last hour and I could end up with a good result.  I decided to do something different by dropping the method feeder on the top 2 + 2 line with groundbait in the feeder and an 8mm pellet on a band as hookbait.  I set the freespool on my baitrunner and waited...about 5 minutes, then the freespool screamed, I was in.  A fish was on.  I played it gingerly and managed to put the net under a carp about 7lb.  I did this for the remainder of the match and managed to snare a total of 5 carp in the last hour all on method feeder short.

That was it.  Match over.  It had been a real struggle today.

Dave Webster had started the ball rolling by putting 62lb on the scales from peg 2, Daz had 21lb opposite me.  Paul Clough then raised the bar to 87lb (mostly on bomb and pellet and short in the last hour).  Stuart Wilson had nearly 70 pounds including the one that broke his topkit that went 16lb 10oz.  Michelle had 51lb, Chris Moorhead had 2 weighs for a total of 48lb.  Dave Horsfall had 17lb of carp and 19lb of skimmers from peg 20.  Ian Waddell raised the bar again and put 89lb on the scales.  Craig had 50 odd pounds, I had 1 weigh (6 carp) for a total of 41lb, Gary Jowett had about 9 carp for 65lb ish.  All in all it was a good match with nearly everyone having over 40lb.

Full result:

1.  Ian Waddell - 89lb 3oz

2.  Paul Clough - 87lb 3oz

3.  Stuart Wilson - 69lb 14oz

4.  Gary Jowett - 65lb 11oz

5.  Dave Webster - 62lb 13oz

Kippax Osprey Lake next week.....can't wait - NOT!

Tightlines until next week.

Busy weekend....., Barnburgh Lakes and Woodlands Lakes.

In view of it being Good Friday and Easter Monday, I had a busy weekend scheduled as follows:

Good Friday - Barnburgh Lakes - Top and Bottom Lakes

Having spoken to Anaemia (Buddy Keville) during the week, I booked us both onto the Good Friday open match at BarnburghLakes and by the time of the draw, there were 36 of us in attendance.  It is the Friday costcutter match and only cost a tenner to enter.  They had put all 25 pegs in on the bottom lake and then spread the remaining anglers around on the top lake a bit more.

I had a walk around and I wanted any of the 8 corner pegs on the bottome lake (1, 5, 6, 13, 14, 18, 19, 25).  I put my hand in the lucky bag and managed to snare peg 23.

I got to my peg and there was Kev Worth on peg 25, Dave 'Stoneface' Cheetham (not the Frenzee sponsored angler - although he was also in attendance) drew peg 13.  John 'Magnum' Clarke was on peg 21, Frenzee Cheetham was on peg 4, Anaemia  had drawn peg 7.  Chris 'Lurch' Moorhead was on the top pond somewhere.  I was really looking forward to today.

I only set up 3 rigs as follows:

A Frenzee FD200 float set to fish approximately 2ft deep.
The obligatory Ian Heywood 'Jigga' Rig
a 4x14 Carpa Chimp for the inside line (top 2).

For bait, I had some venue 4mm pellets and some 6mm pellets for the band.  I had also knocked up some Bait-Tech expander pellets (4mm and 6mm) to fish on the top 2.

At the start of the match, I went out on the Frenzee shallow rig and dropped the rig in, slapped a couple of times, fed 6 - 10 4mm pellets and I was in.  First F1 of the day.  I repeated the process and shock, horror, I caught another one.

I managed to catch steadily for the first hour or so, then it started to go a bit iffy and bites were hard to come by.  Magnum was swapping between all of his lines (across, shallow and edge) and was catching the odd fish off each line.  Kev was swapping his lines and was also picking up the odd fish.

I tried down the edge, but could not catch fast enough as I was waiting too long for bites.

Going into the 90 mins or so, I decided to up my feed rate (as the wind had eased a bit and the sun had come out) and I went shallow at 11/12m with the Frenzee rig on.  I would estimate that I had caught about 40lb in the last 90 minutes.  All F1 carp between 12oz - 1.5lb.

I was last to weigh in on our lake.  I would estimate that I had about 60lb or so.  I followed the scales around and Dave 'Frenzee' Cheetham weighed in 97lb to set the bar.  Anaemia had 105lb odd on his first visit.  Then their were lots of weights between 40 - 80lb.  Daz Taylor on peg 19 managed to plonk 107lb on the scales and was the new leader.  Magnum was a DNW.  The scales arrived at Paul Jenkinson who was next to me on peg 22, he managed to plonk 146lb on the scales - all on top two down the edge.  I had a couple of weighs for a total of 85lb odd.

Gary Jubb was best weight on the top lake with 141lb odd.

I thoroughly enjoyed it today and it has whet my appetite for this weekend.

More to follow........

Saturday 19th April - Woodland Lakes, Thirsk

I booked on the open match at Woodland Lakes, Thirsk to try to get an idea of what was to be expected for Robin Hoods match at the same venue tomorrow.

The general rule of late with regards to the draw, is to draw between pegs 12 - 25 on Partridge Lake and probably about the same on Skylark lake.

By the time of the draw, there were 56 in attendance and they had put in Partridge, Skylark, Curlew and Wagtail.  Gulp.  Here goes....Partridge Lake peg 33.  Oh well, right lake, wrong end, possibly..

I arrived to my peg to find that I had McCauley Pearson on peg 31, Andy Dowle on peg 35, Bill Blythe on peg 37, Andy Hamilton on peg 1, Kirk Grainger was opposite me on about peg 6.

I set up the following gear...

MAP Parabolix 10ft bomb rod coupled to Shimano DL 2500 Baitrunner reel set up to fish the bomb and pellet.
Shimano Beastmaster CX 9/11 feeder rod coupled to a Shimano DL2500 Baitrunner reel set up to fish the method feeder.

3 pole rigs as follows:

4x14 Carpa Chimp on .17 Preston Powerline mainline to a .14 Browning Hybrid Power Mono hooklength to fish at 10 and 2 o'clock on top 2 + 2
.2g Frenzee FD200 shallow pole float rig with a Preston Powerline .13 hooklength.
Ian Heywood Jigga float with a .13 Preston Powerline hooklength.

I was planning on fishing both of the shallow rigs at 14 - 16m straight out in front of me.

During the summer months, I tend to make all of my rigs up on .17 Preston Powerline mainline as this allows me to make the rigs adaptable by altering the hooklength to suit both venue and stamp of fish.

For bait, I had some venue's own 8mm and 6mm pellets, some Dynamite Baits Meaty Marine 6mm pellets, some 6mm Bait-Tech expander pellets and some corn.

At the start of the match, I got the top 2 + 2 rig and baited up with a 6mm Bait-Tech Expander pellet.  I lowered the float in and waited.  The float dipped then buried.  I was in within 5 minutes.  The Preston Innovations 15h elastic was doing its best to get dragged out of my pole.  After a brief tussle, I had the fish in the landing net...all 10lb of it.  WOO HOO...what a start.   I re-baited again and dropped in the same spot.  I waited about 5 - 10 minutes and the float went sideways...slowly, then went under...I was in again.  After another brief tussle, another carp of approximately 6lb was in the landing net.  20 minutes into the match and I already had about 16lb.  I persevered on this line for another 15 mins or so and managed to snare a couple of small skimmers.  Whilst I had been fishing the short line, I was pinging 8mm pellets to the middle of the lake and 6mm pellets out to about 14.5m or so.

I decided it was time to have a look on the pole shallow line.  I baited up a Preston Innovations Baitband with a 6mm Dynamite Baits pellet and went out to 14.5m with the Frenzee FD200 rig.  I have started using the Preston Innovations baitbands as they are quite robust and less prone to snapping, although given the thickness of them, they can be quite difficult to get a large (8mm +) pellet in them.  Once the pellet is in, it is not coming out though!!!

I worked the pellet by lifting and dropping the rig (as tapping and slapping are both banned) for about 20 - 30 minutes or so and I had foul-hooked (and lost it) one.  I decided to chuck the bomb out to the middle of the lake and see if I could get any liners.

After about 5 minutes, I saw the lad opposite me on about peg 8 get a couple of lines and hook a carp on the pellet wag..my bomb rod then arched round and the baitrunner reel scream.  Fish on.  After a 5 minute tussle another carp about 7lb was in the landing net.  I cast the bomb rod back out and waited..the lad next to me had caught a carp on the pellet wag...best get mine out then.!!!

I quickly put the two sections of my Shakespeare Mach 3 XT pellet waggler rod together coupled to a Shakespeare XT reel.  I reeled in my bomb rod and cast out the pellet waggler.  After a couple of casts I was in.  A carp about 6lb or so.  I was a couple of hours into the match and I had 4 carp and a couple of skimmers.

I fished the pellet waggler for the remainder of the match and ended up with 19 carp - between 2.5 - 10lb.  I thought that I had in the region of 85-90lb.  The scales worked their way around - Andy Hamilton on peg 1 had 42lb, then there was a string of 40 - 70lb weights on the favoured pegs.  Steve Keane set the bar higher with 107lb from peg 11 on Skylark lake.  I asked him how he had caught (as I thought that we were on Skylark on Sunday).  The scales arrived at my peg and I lifted my first net out and a couple of weighs later, I had 66lb - in my first net.  I lifted my 2nd net out and estimated about 40lb, this was going to be close.  The scales went round and round and hovered and went back and forth and finally settled on 44lb 1oz for a total of 110lb 1oz.  There was still a few more left to weigh in...I went back to the cafe to see how I had faired.

The final result was in..I had come first. WOOOHOOOOO

Steve Keane then came up to me after the match and said to me 'you know you were asking me about how I had caught today', I replied 'yes'.  Steve replied ' I am not telling you anything' LOL.

Full result:

1. Mick Herrington Partridge 33 - 110lb 1oz
2. Steve Keane Skylark 11 - 107lb
3..
4.
5.
6.  Andy Dowle - Partridge 35 - 88lb

Lindholme - Laurels Lake

Lindholme Lakes, Doncaster hosted the 2nd match in our 30 match summer series and we were on Laurels lake.

Whilst Frontrow was driving us there, I texted Greg Norris to find out what was what and he replied - pellet, pegs 16, 25, 33 (all at the end of the spits), 38 or higher than 40.  Upon arrival, I spoke to Daylite Rothery and John Allerton who both said either pellet or meat and draw higher than 40.

By the time of the draw, there were 24 of us there and I put my hand in the bag and peg 31 stuck to my fingers. A quick chat with Daylite again, who told me that he had fished peg 31 on the open match the day before.  He said to fish top 5 towards peg 25 and then to fish to a small stump at 14.5m down the edge with meat.  Lurch Moorhead drew peg 16, Craig McKenny drew peg 25, Mrs Webster drew peg 33, Chris Watson drew peg 38.  Macca was behind me on peg 35.    Stuart Wilson was on about peg 62, Frontrow was on peg 68, Mr Webster was on about peg 57, Andy Limbert was opposite him on about peg 53.  Opposite me on peg 28, I had Ian 'Syd' Waddell.

Peg 31 is one peg out of a little corner (peg 30 being the corner peg) and peg 33 is on the point of the little spit.  There were no features down the edge apart from this little tree stump with a couple of twigs coming off it.

The wind was blowing from my bank to the opposite bank (hence why you wanted to be higher than peg 40).  In the main, the peg was more or less flat calm, but as you went further away from the peg, the ripple became waves.  Frontrow had the wind straight in his face.

I set up 1 rig for top 5, where it was about 5ft deep and one for down the edge as told by Daylite and I also set up a shallow rig at 14.5m (just in case).

For bait, I had some venue 4mm and 6mm pellets for feed, some 6mm Bait-Tech expander pellets for hookers and 4 tins of 6mm cubed meat (I gave a bag of meat to Charlie Filofax).

That's it, I was ready.

The match started, I flicked a few pieces of meat out on top 5 and then potted a few pieces of meat and 4mm pellets out to the tree stump.

I baited up with meat on a size 16 Preston PR 490 hook and went out to the top 5 line.  I lowered the rig in and waited for it to sail under.  I waited, and waited some more.  Then I waited some more again.  I was constantly flicking 2 or 3 pieces of meat out over the top of the float.  After 30 minutes, I had not had a dink.  Macca behind me had 5 or 6 fish or so, Syd opposite had nothing.  Mrs Webster had a couple of F1's on method  I put an ever-faithful expander pellet on the hook, to no avail.

I decided to have a look down the edge, I baited up with a 6mm Bait-Tech expander pellet and lowered the rig in down the edge.  I fed a couple of pieces of meat and a small pinch of 4mm pellets over the top and waited.  After about 30 mins, I was still fishless and I went back out to the top 5 line for another 30 mins.  Still nothing.

I could see a few fish topping out in the middle of the lake, so I decided to have a go shallow for a bit.  After about 30 mins of slapping and lifting and dropping the bait, I still had not caught a fish.  We were now 2 hours into the match and I was still fishless. Syd opposite me had caught 1 small F1 and a small roach.  Macca was still catching fish, as was nearly everybody else that I could see.

I baited up with a pellet and went back out to the top 5 line and lowered the rig in and waited.  All of a sudden, the float wobbled, dipped a little then shot under.  FISH ON, FISH ON.  A little F1 about 12 oz was painstakingly and slowly brought back to the landing net.  Phew, I had caught a fish.

Was that the first of many???, Nope, I struggled all match.  I never had a fish shallow, I could only catch odd fish here and there (never had a fish on meat).

To make matters even worse, with about 1 hour to go, I put the shallow rig on my Garbolino M1 pole and shipped out to 14.5m, I was just about to lift the rig and place it where I wanted it, when - SNAP!!. What the hell??, my pole had snapped clean in half about 1ft down from the male end of the 14.5m section and was tethered by about 2ft of spiralled carbon (from the inside of the pole) to the remainder of the butt section that I had in my hand.  I managed to get hold of the pole and took the section off and inspected it.  I could not see or find anything wrong with it.  I have never had a pole break on me in this way for years, I have had a G995 (the number 6 broke on the strike), a G10 - I never had a problem with this, a Gmaxx 1000 - again, no problems with this. Baubles or words to that effect.

That was it, match over, thank god.  I had managed to snare 8 little F1's, 2 small barbel and 2 gudgeon.  That was it.  Match over.  Not a good day in the office today.  Oh well, sometimes it happens.

The scales arrived and after my one weigh (my 2nd net was already dry on the bank lol), I managed to cobble together 13lb odd for nowhere.  Syd opposite me had 9lb odd.  Lurch had caught 17lb from flyer peg 16.  Craig weighed in 49lb from peg 25, Michelle had about 33lb from peg 33, Macca had 47lb, Chris Watson had 72lb, Dave Horsfall had 40lb (ish) from peg 40, Mark Wright had 60lb ish from about peg 47, Andy Limber had 47lb, Webster had 47lb, Stuart Wilson had 79lb on meat on top 5 to left and right, Pid had 22lb and Frontrow had 41lb.

Full Result:

1. Stuart Wilson - 79lb (Peg 62)
2. Chris Watson - 72lb (Peg 38)
3. Mark Wright - 60lb (Peg 47)
4. Craig McKenny - 49lb (Peg 25)

Well done all.  Tightlines.

Robin Hood AC - Summer League - Hayfield Lakes, Doncaster

The first match of the league for Robin Hood AC is now upon us and it took place at Hayfield Lakes Doncaster.  We had Little Adam's lake, pegs 1 - 33.

The Draw
By the time of the draw, there were 24 of us in attendance so the decision was made to leave out all of the corner pegs.  It was also the first leg of the knock out and I was up against Chris 'Lurch' Moorhead as his choice of venue.  Chris was 2nd in the draw and promptly pulled out peg 26, which put him one off the corner with the River Torne behind you.  I put my hand in the bag and drew next to him on peg 25.  my travelling partner, Daz 'Frontrow' Harrison drew next to me on peg 24.  I wanted to be on pegs 13 - 19 or pegs 29 - 3, wind in your face or off your back.

The club have also introduced a new team structure in order that team captains and other members can try to assist one or two of the other members.  In my team I have Craig McKenny (Peg 3), Andy Limbert (Peg 17), Charlie Colefax (Peg 31) and Eric (The Pheasant) (Peg 9 ish).  Dave 'Penfold' Webster drew peg 18, Mrs Webster drew peg 30, Paul 'Woofer' Clough was on peg 29.

I arrived at my peg and said to Lurch, I am next to you so that I can keep an eye on you.  He promptly put on some headphones and ignored me.  I think he had paid Paul McKenna to do a self help tape for him titled - HOW TO STAY AT YOUR FISHING PEG or judging by the way that he was singing during the match, it must have been the radio tuned into Radio Luxembourg.

Rigs
I set up two pole rigs, 1 deep shallow (set about 5ft deep) and the other was to fish on the top 5 at about 7m out in 5ft of water.

I then set up a Pellet Waggler rod, again set to fish about 5ft deep and the obligatory bomb rod.

Bait
For bait, I had some 8mm & 6mm hard feed pellets.  Some 6mm expander pellets and a tin of corn.  I also mixed up a quarter of a 2kg bag of groundbait.

That's it.  I was ready.

The Match
At the start of the match, I watched as everyone launched a feeder or bomb out to the middle of the lake.  I picked up my pole rig to fish at 7m and baited up with a 6mm expander pellet, then shipped out and waited....and waited....and waited.  After 20 mins, nothing, not a wrap.  No one had a fish on my bank.  Both Mr & Mrs Webster had caught a carp each.  All the while whilst fishing short, I had been feeding 8mm pellets out to about 25 yards (mainly due to the wind, which was blowing from right to left and slightly diagonal).

I decided to chuck the bomb out and waited, and waited, and waited some more, all the while, I had been catapulting a couple of 8mm pellets out over the top.  After about another 30 mins or so, Lurch was the only one to catch a fish, a roach on worm at about 10m.

Onto the pellet waggler now.  I cast out and after about the 5th or 6th cast, I got a liner.  I shallowed up to about 2ft deep and cast out again.  I put the rod down so that I could feed and the float shot under.  I WAS IN.  Finally, I had latched onto something.  After a 5 min tussle, a ghost carp about 6lb was soon in the net.  I shouted over to Lurch 'Hey up Chris, you got some catching up to do now' and he still ignored me.

I would love to write that, that fish was the first of many, but alas, no.  No matter what I did, I could not get another bite throughout the match.  Going in to the last hour, I went back on the 7m pole line and baited up with a 6mm expander, shipped out and waited.  The float dipped, then dipped some more, and again.  Finally it went under and a roach of about 2oz had finally whittled the pellet down to a size that it could get in it's mouth.

I re-baited and shipped back out and waited.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lurch's elastic out of his pole and after a very brief tussle, he had a bream about 3lb ish.

Gulp, best concentrate.  Hope he doesn't get any more of them.

After about 10 mins or so, my float shot under and I was attached to something bigger than a 2oz roach.  When you know that the fish will really count and bites are at a premium, you play fish in slow motion, compared to if you were getting lots of bites.  After about 10 minutes, I had a mirror carp about 6lb to go with my other carp that I caught nearly 4 hours ago.

Over the remainder of the match, I managed to snare a couple more roach and skimmers.

That was it.  Match over.  Thank god.

They started the weigh in from peg 22 and Frank had 1 carp and a couple of bits for 13lb odd out of the corner.  Paul 'Castaway' Wilson weighed in 10lb (1 carp and some bits) from peg 23.  Frontrow had 9lb (1 carp and some bits) next to me on 24.  I plonked all of 12lb odd on the scales.  Now it was Lurch's turn..

He weighed in 6lb odd (for 2nd last - only beating someone who did not weigh in.).  I was 6lb in front and had won the first leg or our club knockout.

Then the scales got to the pegs that had caught and there were 30 - 45lbs abundant.

Full Result

1. Dave Webster - 55lb (Peg 18)
2. Paul Clough - 46lb (Peg 29)
3. Mark Wright - 45lb (Peg 8??)
4. Michelle Webster - 40lb (Peg 30)
5. Stuart Wilson - 35lb (Peg 5)

Best 4 weights from my team where:

Craig McKenny - 33lb
Andy Limbert - 32lb
Mike Herrington - 12lb
Charlie Colefax - 10lb

Lindholme next week.  Can't wait.  Hope it is better than it was today. :-)

Thanks for reading.

Tightlines.

About Time For An Update, Me Thinks...

Is it really that long ago since my last blog??  What have I been doing since end of September last year??

Well, where do I start? I did a winter league at Tom's pond in Otley and a bad run of results left me about mid way down the table.

On the first match back in Nov, it was won from peg 1 on the first pond with 123lb of trout.  Two weeks later, I put my hand in the lucky bag and drew peg 3.  My old travelling partner, Bram, was not there for the draw and I knew he was going so decided to draw his peg and promptly drew peg 1 for him.  I lent him a topkit and got his nets ready for him, and he promptly went on to win the match.  it was a well attended affair and the final result of the league was Neil Rymer, Andy Barker, Craig Thompson, Andy Rawson, Lee Bramham and Eddie Storey making up the top 6.  My results were something like 4, 3, 2, 1, 4, 5, 2, 5.  On the first pond you wanted to be on pegs 1 or 2, peg 9, pegs 12 - 16.  I managed to avoid them all apart from peg 1 (hence the one in my results) once.  On pond 2, the fish moved around considerably more and if you were on them, you had a good day's fishing, if not then it was a struggle.  My best weight was about 40lb ish.  Anyway, I have put my name down for next year's (or is it this year's) league.

The winterleague matches were every other week, so Scott from Pudsey Angling Centre and I were running matches on the alternate weeks.  We had a match at Sunrise Lakes, Harrogate, where I promptly drew the wrong bank and was 2nd on my bank with about 4lb of bits.  Pete Cressey won with 26lb of carp at the car park peg.  Scott took a fiver off me to make it 1 all in the fiver stakes.

We then had a match at Crimple Pond, Harrogate, which I won with 8lb of roach on caster over groundbait at 6m.  The weather was horrendous with very strong wind and heavy rain for about 4 hours.  On a more important note, I got my fiver back off Scott. Me 2 - Scott 1.

This was followed by a match at Rising Sun Lakes at Aldwark on ponds 2 and 3.  Scott and I drew next to each other.  Scott weighed in about 3lb odd, I had 10lb odd made up of ide and a solitary carp for 2nd overall and a lake win. The wind was howling again and I snapped a topkit of my pole whilst trying to flick a 1g rig out directly into the wind. Stuart Waterhouse won from the first pond (pond 2) with 35lb odd.  That was another fiver off Scott coming my way 3 - 1.

Then we had a match at Rising Sun again on the specimen lake.  Stories of 20 - 40lb of skimmers and bags of roach were rife.  On the day, I had 4 skimmers and some bits and bats for 9lb ish and a win.  I caught by fishing 3 dead maggots over a groundbait feeder.  Scott was down another fiver 4 - 1.

We were scheduled to have a match at Follywood Lakes, Huby, but me and a mate went and had a pleasure session (to find out where it was) and never had a bite, so the match was swapped to Redwood Lakes, Huby.  We were split over 2 lakes - Arc and Redwood Lake.  I drew Redwood and had 26lb of carp on groundbait feeder and maggot or pellet for 3rd on the lake and 4th overall.  I was beaten by Stuart Waterhouse on end Peg 1 who had 109lb and Barry 'Maggot' Murgatroyd who had 32lb from end peg 29.  There was also a 40lb weight off peg 19 on Redwood.  Scott wasn't in attendance, so the fiver score stays at 4 - 1.

The final match (prior to the club starting the summer league) was back at Redwood lakes on Canal and Redwood lakes.  I drew peg 14 on Canal and won it with 97lb of F1 carp.  All on pole-fished pellet over groundbait to the far side.  Scott was 2nd with 70lb.  The fiver score is starting to look like a Leeds United football result at 5 - 1 to me.

Last week, I went on an open match to Woodlands Lakes, Thirsk and won my section by triple default due to 2nd, 3rd and 4th overall being on my lake, pegs 16 (Steve Richards  - 128lb), Peg 19 (Pete Rambow Jnr - 118lb), Peg 21 (Barry Patton - 115lb).  I drew peg 12 which is just past the middle of the lake.  I had 4 shallow in the first hour, then the wind got up and I never had another fish until the last hour and I ended up with a dozen or so for 70lb odd.

The Robin Hood AC club matches started on Sunday 5th April - a full write up to follow.

Tightlines.

Mike